Curtain



Patented May 26, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CURTAIN Maurice Druck, Long Beach, N. Y. v

Application April 13, 1951, Serial No. 220,939

3 Claims.

This invention relates generally to window curtains and more particularly to window curtain constructions in which the window covering panel and the valance or edge decoration element together with the supporting and rod carrying portion are combined in a novel and highly useful manner, and methods of making the same.

This application is a division of my prior application Serial No. 590,554, filed April 27, 1945, which has matured into Patent No. 2,548,879.

In the use of curtains for the restriction of vision or reduction of the passage of light through windows or similar building openings it has been known to associate with the main curtain panel, a valance which forms an auxiliary to the main curtain panel and increases the decorative effect of the entire window ensemble. In order to pro-perly support the main curtain panel and the valance, a rod tunnel construction is most frequently used and this has necessitated a plurality of rods and rod carrying structure. Furthermore since the window coverings are subject to considerable dust and dirt, frequent cleaning is necessary and this required the dismounting of separate rods, separate cleaning of the valance and curtain panel, separate insertion and threading of the rods and the reconnection of the rods to appropriate brackets.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide curtain structure wherein the main or body panel of the curtain and the valance are integral or integrated so that the panel and valance may be simultaneously supported by a single rod.

Another object herein lies in the provision of curtain structure wherein the valance and curtain panel may be laundered, cleaned, stretched, formed, and/or dried as a single unit.

A feature of the present invention lies in the fact that curtains constructed in accordance therewith are hung by a single rod or similar supporting member and yet as hung produce an aesthetically pleasing appearance and to a large extent create the effect of separately hung curtain components. f

Another object herein lies in the provision of curtain structure wherein a desirable finished heading effect is obtained with minimum amount of material and labor so that the same may be produced on a large scale with a consequent wide use and distribution.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view showing a rst embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view as seen from the plane 2-2 on Figure l.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary Vertical sectional view comparable to Figure 1 but showing an alternate form of construction.

In the drawings the sectional and end elevational views have the parts exaggerated in thickness for the purpose of clarity in the disclosure, since it will be readily understood to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates that the curtains described herein may be composed of any desirable fabric or similar material.

Turning now to the first embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the separate curtains generally indicated by numerals I0 and II are composed of any suitable planar material preferably of a flexible nature. Since the two curtains III and II are of substantially identical construction the detailed description of one will suflice for both, it beingA understood that any desired number of curtains may be hung laterally adjacent to each other on a rod.

As best seen in Figure 2 the curtain I0 includes va body panel I2, a valance I3, a rod carrying tunnel or passage I4, and a heading I5. The rod carrying passage I4 is adapted to be penetrated by a suitable curtain rod such as the rod I5 in a well-known manner.

In accordance with one of the herein described methods the curtain I0 may be formed by taking a piece of material and folding it upon itself through substantially (counterclockwise as viewed in Figure 2) to form the bight I8. The piece of material is then folded upon itself in an opposite direction (clockwise as viewed in Figure 2) through substantially 180 to form the bight or valance lower edge fold I9. The piece of material forming the curtain is then folded upon itself (clockwise as viewed in Figure 2) through substantially 180 to form the bight of heading upper edge fold 2B. From this point downward the material is placed so that the upper edge 2| thereof is in juxtaposition and lies rearwardly of the bight I8. I

The parts in the positions as described may be secured by the upper row of stitches 22 and the lower row of stitches 23. The upper row of stitches 22 joins the portions 24 and 25 of thel material 3 of which the curtain is composed. The lower row of stitches 23 interconnects the portion 2l adjacent the edge 2l to the portion 26, and with the bight I8 therebetween.

Thus the stitches 22 secure the bottom portion of the heading I5 and the stitches 22 define the upper limit of the rod carrying passage I4.

The lower row of stitches 23 secures the upper portion of the valance I3 and fixes it with respect to the body I2, and said stitches hold the bight I8 in position which forms a lowermost portion of the passage I4.

As may be seen from a perusal of Figure 1 where the fabric 9 has a front surface 33 and a rear surface d@ the front surface 36 forms the entire exposed upper part of the curtain. lIhis feature of the invention is particularly Valuable where the curtain is composed of materials provided with a surface decoration or treatment on only one surface thereof. Examples ofrsuch materials are: pyroxylin coated fabrics; chintzes; tufted fabrics; flocked fabrics; printed fabrics; and the like.

The portion of the rear or wrong side of the fabric when the curtain hung would then lie facing'the window or building portions surrounding the same. By the herein described construction both the valance, heading and rod carrying passage are all formed from a .single piece of material and are properly disposed and correlated on the finished unitary curtain. Only two rows of stitches are necessary to provide these parts in proper organization and arrangement.

In accordance with the alternate form of the first embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 3,V for the purpose of avoiding needless repetitionyparts corresponding to the first embodiment are given the same reference characters with the addition of the numeral l as a prefix.

'From an examination of Figure 3 it will be seen that the upper edge I2| ofthe material m9 is disposed rearwardly of .the portion lE and forwardly of the bight HB. The portion 121 adjacent the edge IM is thus sandwiched between the portion IZB 'and the bight H8, and isy maintained in this interposition by the lower row of stitches 123.

This construction produces a desirable finished effect since there are no exposed raw edges, the edge 21! being completely enclosed within the valance l I3.

Itr may thus be seen that I have disclosed novel and useful curtain constructions and methods of making the same whereby valance and headed effects are obtained with a minimum of parts and labor. The unitary curtain constructions disclosed provide the appearance givenby a curtain with a separately hung and fabricated valance. constructions lies in the fact that the Valance and; the curtain being one integral or integrated unit, laundering and pressing operations are greatly simplified. l

As will readily be understood, by those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates, a considerable advantage is secured not only in rst cost, but also in installation and maintenance expense. With the present invention only a single supporting rod or other comparable means need be used in order to support both the curtain structure and that portion thereof constituting the heading and valance. Furthermore, even though the valance and the curtain are supported from a single rod, a natural and desirable draped effect is formed in each of these parts, 'and the longitudinal or vertically disposed corrugations constituting the draped effect are independently formed in both the curtain and the valance portion so that the appearance is given of two separate pieces of material hung from two separate supporting rods.

The advantage inherent in the present I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described, for obvious modifications will occur to a person skilled in the art..

I claim:

1. A curtain comprising a substantially planar flexible base fabric extending upwardly and folded upon itself to form a first bight; said fabric being folded upon itself in an opposite direction to form a second bight; said fabric being folded downwardly and rearwardly upon itself to form a third bight; first means interconnecting the curtain material spaced from the third bight; and second means interconnecting the upper edge of said base fabric which edge is spaced downwardi'y from the third bight, the first bight, and another portion of the base fabric disposed forwardly of the rst bight.

2. A curtain including an integral heading, rod carrying passage, and valance, said curtain comprising a substantially flexible base .fabric extending. upwardly and folded'upon itselfv to form a first bight, said fabric extending downwardly from said bight a substantial distance4 and then being folded upon itself upwardly to form a second bight which constitutes the lower edge of said valance; said fabric continuing upwardly beyond the location of the rst bightand being folded again upon itself rearwardly to form a third bight which constitutes the upper edge of the said heading; first means interconnecting 'the plies of said fabric below the third bight at a point spaced from said first and third bights; and second means interconnecting the upper edge of said fabric, the first bightl and the ply of fabric lyingY forwardly thereof; said fabric' plies between said first and second means forni.M ing said rod carrying passage.

3L A curtain including an integral heading, rodfcarryingl passage, and valance, said curtain comprising a substantially flexible base fabric extending upwardiy and folded upon itself to form a first bight, said fabric extending downwardly from said bight a substantial distance and then being folded upon itself upwardly to form a second bight which constitutes the lower edge of said, valance; said fabric continuing up'- wardly beyond the location of the first bight and being folded again upon itself rearwardly to form a third bight which constitutes the upper edge of the said heading; first means interconnecting the plies of said fabric below the third bight at' a point spaced from said first and third bights; the upper edge 'of said base fabric lying forwardly of the first bight and rearwardly of a ply of the base fabric; rand second meansinterconnecting said first bight, the upper edge of the base fabric and the fabric ply forming the upper portion of the Valance; said fabric plies between said first and second means forming said rod carrying passage.

MAURICE DRUCK.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,156,231 Stam Apr. 25, 1939v 2,194,242 Kahn Mar. 19, 1940 2,323,444 Bixer July 6', 1943 2,416,448 Lepow Feb. 25, 1947 2,548,879 Druck Apr. 17, 1951 

